


Health Fair

by Rahenna



Series: Ace of Hearts [18]
Category: Gakuen Heaven 2 ~Double Scramble~
Genre: Age Difference, Ensemble Cast, M/M, Secret Relationship, Teacher-Student Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-18
Updated: 2015-05-18
Packaged: 2018-03-31 04:37:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 20,062
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3964654
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rahenna/pseuds/Rahenna
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The health fair is a huge success, and everyone signs up for a brief interview and physical examination. If Dr. Matsuoka doesn't quit after all this nonsense, he deserves a medal. :D</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Day One ~ Monday, October 23, 2017

**Author's Note:**

> Decided to try breaking this monster into chapters by day. Hopefully that makes it a bit easier to read.
> 
> Contains spoilers for Gakuen Heaven 2. If you intend to play the game yourself, reading this may ruin your fun a bit. :)
> 
> Originally posted here:  
> [Adults Always Lie](http://heaven.neo-romance.net/lies/)
> 
> If you want to know more about the Gakuen Heaven series, please visit my fansite for game translations and summaries:  
> [welcome to Heaven](http://heaven.neo-romance.net/)

I was reading my email when a popup appeared, reminding me that the first student examination was scheduled for 9am. It was going to be a long day. Many of the students wanted to schedule their wellness exam on the very first day, probably reasoning that it was best to just get it over with as soon as possible. I could understand their anxiety; teen boys weren't exactly known for enjoying intensely personal questions about sex and the associated examinations.

I'd scheduled only one exam per hour despite the pressure to do more each day. I wanted to give each student enough time to ask all the questions he might have and to provide reassurance. If the exams ended up taking less time than planned, then that was fine. I still needed to be available in case of emergencies, and besides, I didn't really want to try and squeeze in upwards of twenty exams per day. I'd go crazy by the end of it.

First up was the student council president, Asahina Yuki. He'd insisted on going first, claiming the slot way back when the student council had first approached me for assistance with their health fair idea. He'd wanted to set a good example for the other students by going first and proving that the exam wasn't a big deal. It was an admirable approach. And it would be good for me to ease into the day with a simple examination as well; with how squeaky clean Asahina was in his dealings with others, I was sure that all I'd end up doing for him was a routine health exam.

Asahina arrived two minutes early, entering the nurse's office with a bit less than his usual amount of cheer. "Um, I'm here for my checkup..." he muttered, poking the floor with his toe.

"Good morning, Asahina, there's no need to be nervous." I picked up my notes and gestured toward the door. "See that door hanger, the one that says _exam in progress?_ Could you put that on the outside of the door so no one will barge in without waiting to be called? And on the way back, just slide that curtain closed. That way, even if someone misses the sign, they won't be able to see anything."

"R... right," he agreed, doing as I asked before coming into the office and settling himself on the edge of the exam table, hands folded tightly in his lap.

"Relax, Asahina, I'm just going to ask you a few questions and do a brief examination. It's just like a normal checkup, so you don't have to worry." I picked up a pen and wrote his name at the top of the question sheet. "And remember, anything you tell me is confidential, plus you're free to ask me questions about anything as well. The doctor-patient relationship goes both ways, so don't hesitate if you want to ask me something. Okay?"

Asahina was more anxious than I'd expected. Maybe he didn't like doctors. Someone like him, with good luck, probably never needed anything more than a routine check, so maybe he just wasn't familiar with typical practices.

"Okay... if I have questions, I'll ask..."

I couldn't remember the last time he'd spoken so quietly. That was understandable; the questions I were about to ask were very personal. I cleared my throat. "This starts off nice and easy. Do you have any complaints about your health right now? Are you feeling well, no aches or pains, no illness?"

"Oh, I'm fine, no problems at all."

"That's good." I made a note on the paper. "Are you up to date on your vaccinations? Well, you don't have to answer that, I saw it in your records. That's all fine."

"Haha, I'm glad you knew the answer to that one, because I didn't..."

Now it was time for the harder questions. "Do you have any questions or concerns about your body's development? Is there anything worrying you?"

"U... Um... it's all normal, I guess. I mean, I haven't really been comparing to anyone else..."

"We can talk more about that during the physical exam." He winced at that, but I pretended not to notice, not wanting to point out his anxiety. "This is just to get a feel for your own thoughts and feelings about your body. If you're comfortable, that's good."

"Yeah, it's good," he repeated, avoiding eye contact. It was like he knew that the more embarrassing questions were coming.

He'd get through it. "Okay, then next, have you ever been sexually active, either currently or at some time in the past?" Asahina's face was a deep red, and he mumbled something that I couldn't hear. "Ah, forgive me, Asahina, but you'll have to speak up a bit more."

"Um," he repeated, soft voice barely audible in the quiet office. "Well, uh... yes."

I blinked, but otherwise showed no sign of my surprise. I'd been the doctor at Bell Liberty for almost a decade, so nothing was really shocking anymore, but his answer _was_ unexpected. I knew that Asahina was popular, though it was hard to tell if any of that interest was actually sexual, or just a tease. _Well, I guess I know now._ "Okay, I see, and how many partners have you had?"

"Just one!"

"Mmm, good." I made a note. "Male or female?"

If Asahina was red before, he was absolutely scarlet now. "Uh... um..."

His reluctance to give a clear response made the answer obvious enough, but I needed him to confirm it before I could note it in his official record. I tucked my pen into my pocket and leaned forward, trying to catch his eye. It took a few moments, but he finally looked up at me. "Don't feel embarrassed, Asahina, you're here because you're being responsible and taking care of your personal health. There's nothing more important than being honest and open right now. I know it's not a comfortable situation, but I'll do my best to make this easy for you, okay? If you need a little time to answer, just let me know. Remember, I'm here to help you."

"I... I know that," he mumbled. "It's just..." Asahina fidgeted. "I... I have a boyfriend. You won't tell anyone, right?"

"Of course not. Anything you tell me here will stay with me. But I don't think that's something you need to feel ashamed about." I straightened up in my chair again, debating with myself. Of course I wanted to put him at ease, and considering my own situation, it would have been simple. But something always stopped me when it came to talking about myself. People who didn't know me well enough might interpret it as shame or embarrassment, but the truth was that I just didn't like letting others know the details of my private life.

The group that knew about my relationship with Hiroya was rather small. Keita and Kazuki, of course, and it hadn't taken Nao long to figure it out since I spent so much time caring for him. Once Nao knew, it was only a matter of time before Professor Sakaki found out. I'd said something in a call to Nao without realizing that Sakaki was in his office. That would have been fine normally, but Nao had been fond of using the speaker option on his phone. And I supposed that Kasahara could have looked up my profile to see that Hiroya was my emergency contact, though I suspected such efforts would fall under the 'too annoying' umbrella. It was possible that Keita or Kazuki had mentioned it to him, though.

"Um," Asahina's nervous murmur cut through my thoughts. He was frowning, made uncomfortable by the long silence. "Is something wrong, Dr. Matsuoka?"

"Sorry, Asahina, I was trying to decide something."

He really was so much like Keita, not just in the obvious luck, but his genuine concern for others. He'd helped Kasahara more than I could imagine, but the other boys surrounding him seemed improved in various ways as well. Who was there with an encouraging word when Asahina was worried? I was sure his friends supported him, but it seemed that even to Asahina, some things were just too private. And for a normally outgoing boy to be bearing that sort of worry alone, all the concerns that were wrapped up in the reality of having a relationship with someone of the same gender, it had to be too much for him.

I nodded, my decision made. "Let me tell you a little something about myself. It's not really a secret, and it's not something I worry about or that I'm uncomfortable with. But it's private, so I hesitate to talk about it."

Asahina was watching me, his expression serious but almost hopeful, like he somehow knew that whatever I was about to say would relieve his anxiety.

"I also have a boyfriend. We've been together for seven years now."

He looked, well, shocked. "Huh, really?" I could almost see the gears turning in his mind as he thought it over. His surprised look softened to a gentle smile. "I never imagined... and seven years, wow..."

I nodded, surprised at the relief I felt at his positive reaction. A tension that I didn't realize had formed drained from my shoulders. "We met at this school, back when we were both students. Well, it's a long story, and maybe I'll tell it to you some other time. Right now, we need to get through your exam. I just wanted you to know that you don't need to worry about me judging or lecturing you. Now," I picked up my clipboard again, "do you feel ready to proceed?"

"Um, okay..." Asahina seemed a bit less reluctant.

"Regarding sexual activity, have you and your partner engaged in oral or anal sex?"

"Uh, both?"

At least he was talking, even if his voice was rising at the end as if he was the one asking the questions. "Okay, and have you been the receptive or penetrative partner, or both?"

The exam table squeaked as Asahina squirmed uncomfortably. "Ugggh, why do you need to ask such embarrassing things?"

"Because the things I need to check for, and the counseling I offer, are different depending on the types of activities you're engaging in. Remember, I've been a doctor for a long time, and I've heard a lot of things. You're perfectly normal, Asahina... including your reluctance to answer. You're doing fine, just keep talking." I reached up to adjust my glasses and gave him a warm, encouraging smile.

He bit his bottom lip for a few moments before responding. "Okay. W- well... I'm not really confident about doing it, so, uh... I haven't really asked..."

"So I'll mark that you've been the receptive partner during anal sex, then. And--"

"U, um, the other one," he cut me off, face red, "we, we do that both ways... uh..."

I made a note on the clipboard. "That's not uncommon. And what kinds of protection are you using?"

"U- um!" Suddenly Asahina's voice was quite loud, and he was leaning forward. "That's... that's why I really wanted to come here and talk to you! Because... we haven't used anything, and then I was reading all the materials for the health fair, and... and..." His voice faded again. "I started to get really worried..." He was watching me intently, eyes bright as if he was on the edge of tears and looking to me for some words of reassurance.

I took a quiet breath. Probably two inexperienced high school students who didn't know any better; really, didn't they teach these kids _anything_ important in junior high? Pretending that teens weren't interested in sex was... well, I couldn't think of a good metaphor on the spot, so I mentally settled for _stupid_. "I'm glad you came here to discuss this with me. Can you tell me a bit about your partner, then? Do you know his history?"

Asahina wrung his hands, still staring straight at me. "He's older than me, and a lot more experienced... I don't know h- how many other boyfriends he's had, but there's definitely been others, and I just... I never even thought about it until we started doing the research..."

An older boy, and more experienced. That raised other questions, but I had to deal with Asahina's immediate worries first. "So you're saying that he never offered to use protection, and you didn't know that you could ask him to use it?"

"I feel really stupid now," Asahina mumbled, "but I really didn't know... I just, I mean, I know that stuff exists and all, I just didn't think of it at the time..."

"Have you talked to him about your concerns? Are you still having unprotected sex?"

"No! I mean, yes, I talked to him, and no, we're not... I told him I wouldn't, unless he used something, and unless he got checked too."

I relaxed, just a little. "And he agreed to that?"

"Well, he didn't like it at first, he got kind of mad at me and asked me if I didn't trust him... we had a really big fight."

I didn't like the sound of that. "I see..."

Asahina didn't seem to pick up on my unease. "I _do_ trust him, but everything I read said that there was no way to know for sure without getting tested, and so I said I wouldn't, not until he got checked..."

"Good for you, Asahina, it's important to stand up for your own health. Don't compromise on that." Now it was time for the actual hard part. "Now, you mentioned that your boyfriend is older, and he got a bit upset with you when you asked him about protection. I just want to check a few things with you."

"Um, okay..."

The questions about sex were easy; it was the answers to questions about pressure and coercion that haunted me sometimes, the stories of young boys who didn't even have enough experience to realize that they were being hurt. Bell Liberty was a good school filled with exceptional students, but that didn't mean they were saints or that they'd all come from safe environments.

I took a deep breath before speaking.

"Have you ever felt pressured to do anything you didn't really want to? I'm not just talking about sexual things, but anything at all. Sometimes it's hard to resist the desire to be respectful of someone older, even if they're asking you to do something that's not right for you. If you've felt uncomfortable or unsafe in your relationship, I want to know. Okay?"

He blinked at me, shock plain on his honest face. "No! No, it's never been like that! Everything we do, it's something I really want to do... I was the one who chased after him." Asahina lowered his eyes, cheeks coloring, but his expression was different from the mortified face he'd been making only a minute before. "Um, if anyone's been too pushy about things, it's me. I'm going to try hard not to be like that. I didn't realize that I might be hurting him..."

I couldn't imagine Asahina pressuring a lover, though it was easy to see how his enthusiasm could be oppressive to someone who was less energetic. "The most important thing is to talk to your partner and find out how he feels about it. I can understand being enthusiastic about your lover, especially when a relationship is new."

"Enthusiastic, huh..." Asahina lowered his eyes, a blush coloring his cheeks. "W- well, I'm going to be sure to talk to him more about things from now on."

"That's good, Asahina. Communication is the most important thing in a relationship." I smiled at him. "But I'm sure you already knew that, since you created all the materials for the health fair. Well done, by the way."

"Oh, um, it wasn't just me! Takato and Kuya helped write it all. I don't think anyone would want something I'd written by myself..."

"You give yourself too little credit. Enthusiasm is just as important when it comes to events like this, it helps the students feel more at ease." I turned, setting aside my paperwork. Unfortunately, the next part would probably not be easy for anyone. "That's all for the interview portion of the exam. Based on what you've told me, I'll need to do a physical examination and collect both a blood and a urine sample. Is that okay?"

Asahina stared down at the floor, cheeks and nose red, and let out a shaky breath. "O- okay," he agreed in a small voice. He raised his face just enough to meet my eyes for a second. "I'm going to be okay, right?"

That mournful look and the worry in his voice stung my heart. "Asahina, it would be wrong for me to guess. But I can promise to take good care of you now, and if necessary, later. Coming to see me, and changing your behavior, those are the two most important things. And you did them, even though it was hard. Right?"

He swallowed hard, eyes brimming with tears. "I guess."

"You did," I told him. "So be proud of yourself. And, well... I probably shouldn't say things like this, but you have good luck, don't you? Remember that, and let me take care of the rest."

He glanced at me again, a bit hopeful, and nodded. "Thank you..."

The rest of Asahina's exam was uncomfortable for both of us. Of course, Asahina was anxious and embarrassed - though relieved to hear that my physical exam uncovered nothing unusual - but I was on edge as well. I'd done enough exams and blood draws in my career that my mind was free to wander a bit as I worked, worrying at the question that I knew he would never answer. Who was Asahina's partner, the mysterious older boy who may have taken advantage? But Asahina insisted that he was happy.

But that was the thing. He _was_ happy. I'd heard it over and over again from his friends and even from members of staff. I'd seen it myself as he talked to me about his ideas for the health fair, asking for my assistance with everything from checking facts to offering appointments. Smiling and shining, more than usual, and at the time I'd thought it was the joy of working on a worthwhile project meant to help others. But maybe there was more to it.

By the time he left with a stammered _thank you_ , I wasn't sure what to think. And honestly, my day was too full for me to take time to think about anything but the next appointment.

_I'll keep watch over you,_ I silently promised. _Just in case._

~~~

I'd hardly had five minutes to organize my notes and gather my thoughts after Asahina's visit before the start of my second appointment of the day.

"Excuse me," a calm voice called out as the office door opened, and Takato Masatsugu, the student council secretary, stepped inside. He was a tall boy - though calling him a boy at his height and build seemed a bit improper. If I remembered correctly, Takato was one of the tallest students in the school, and with his strong, solid build and serious manner, he was rather imposing. "Hello, Dr. Matsuoka, am I too early?"

"No, not at all, you're right on time. My last appointment ran a bit long, that's all."

"Asahina, was it?" I wasn't quite sure how to read Takato's expressions, since I rarely interacted with him, but his faint smile seemed somehow smug. "Well, I appreciate your thoroughness, Doctor. This event will be a success thanks to your expertise and guidance."

"Yes, thank you, Takato. Please take a seat on the exam table and I'll get started right away. I'm sure you'll want to get back to your class as soon as possible."

"Yes, that's true," he agreed, sitting down as requested.

An older boy, and one with a rather forceful presence. It was true that Asahina was close to his fellows in the student council, and with Takato's odd reaction to how I was running a bit late after Asahina's exam... maybe there was something to it. Of course, it wasn't good to make assumptions based on appearances or attitude.

"As I'm sure you know, this is a standard set of questions, so I'll just go through them one by one and we can take our time on each as needed."

"That sounds reasonable." Takato reached up to adjust his glasses, and I unconsciously mirrored the gesture.

"First, how is your health in general right now? Are you feeling well with no aches or pains, good appetite, no trouble sleeping, any general complaints about things like that?"

"My health is fine at the moment, thank you. I had a bit of a cold last month, as you probably remember, but with your treatment and advice it cleared up quickly."

"Ah, yes, that's right. Glad to hear it." I noted his answer on the paper. I didn't bother asking about vaccinations, everyone present at the school right now was up to date, so I wasn't sure why I'd even left that one on the list. "Next, any questions or concerns about your body's development?"

"No, I've done my own research if I've had any concerns."

I nodded. "That's good. And please remember that I'm always available as a resource as well, if you ever need me."

"Of course."

"Those are the easy questions," I said with a smile, but Takato didn't return the expression, just sitting patiently and waiting for the next one. Ah, yes, he was a bit stern, wasn't he? Best to just dive right in, then. "Have you ever been sexually active, either currently or in the past?"

"No," he answered simply.

A bit surprising, but I'd been a professional long enough that I didn't even twitch an eyebrow. "Okay, that means that your physical exam today will be a general checkup, then, unless you've already had one in the past six months."

"I have. I saw my regular doctor over the summer break."

Part of me wanted to ask _then why are you here?_ but I already knew the answer; the entire student council had decided to get checked on the first day in order to set a good example for the other students. I was fairly certain that Takato had been pushed into it by Asahina and Sagimori, and maybe he'd just gone along with it quietly rather than revealing any personal information. He seemed the type who liked to keep intimate matters close to his own heart.

"I see. In that case, let's talk a bit about dating. Are you seeing someone right now, or do you have plans to start dating in the near future?"

"Not right now, no. I plan to focus on my studies until graduation."

Then it really _was_ pointless. I clipped my pen to the clipboard and set it aside. "In that case, the rest of these questions don't apply to your situation. Unless you have any questions for me, or if you have any other health-related concerns - physical, mental, or sexual - I think we're finished. Of course, I'm not trying to dismiss you before our time is up, but the majority of the questions really only apply if a student is sexually active or thinking of becoming active soon."

"No, that's fine, Dr. Matsuoka. I really only came because Asahina and Kuya insisted that I participate in the screening." Takato stood, adjusting his uniform jacket. "I'm sorry for wasting your time, I know you have many other appointments scheduled for today."

I stood as well. "Not at all, I'm happy to be part of your wellness event. You've all done a good job of distributing flyers and information. I don't mind being busy at all if it means I can be of assistance to the students."

Takato held my gaze for a few moments, almost as if testing me, then nodded. "Yes, thank you again. A number of the students at this school, particularly the younger ones, are rather vulnerable and naive when it comes to relationships. And I also appreciate that you opened the screenings up to teachers and staff as well. This may be a fairy tale school, but after all, we're all only human. Sometimes things happen."

What was he getting at? "Yes, you're welcome. I'm here to help, after all."

After he left, I wondered just what the point of that whole awkward exchange had been.

~~~

An eager student burst into my office a full ten minutes before his 11am appointment.

" _¡Hola!_ Hi there, Dr. Matsuoka! I hope you don't mind me being a little early!"

As expected, the vice president of the student council was early. Sagimori Kuya - or _Kuuuuuuuya_ , as he'd signed the email he'd sent to reserve the third slot of the day - was the student council vice president and a rather interesting boy. Rumor had it that he sent dozens of emails every day, keeping up with friends all over the globe, as well as maintaining good grades, participating in student council, and practicing fencing at a world-class level. And he did it all with a level of energy and enthusiasm that was almost exhausting to witness.

If Sagimori had a lover, he'd wear that poor person out in a month, unless they were someone just as bubbly and spirited. Which made me think that maybe...

No, I wouldn't make assumptions.

"Hello, Sagimori, I expected you to be early so I'm ready to start at any time. Please, sit here on the exam table and we can get started right away."

"Okay!" Sagimori hopped up and sat cross-legged on the table, leaning forward with a big smile. "So, I'm ready for your embarrassing questions! Do your worst!"

I sat down opposite him and picked up my clipboard. "First, how's your health in general lately? If there's any issues, I'd like to know about them before we get into the details."

"Oh, I'm completely fine! Best shape of my life, really, it's because I make sure to get plenty of sleep every night and I keep up with my exercise during class!"

I raised one eyebrow. "You exercise during class?"

He nodded, smiling as if he'd been waiting for me to ask. "Of course! I'm careful not to disturb others or make noise, but there's plenty of exercises you can do even while seated! There's leg extensions, and thigh squeezes, and if I sit way in the back of class, I can even get away with some seated lifting! Though, the teachers don't really like that..."

I could imagine. "Sagimori, it's good that you're passionate about exercise, but please be sure to maintain a proper focus in class without disturbing others. That includes the teachers."

"Of course! It's just so hard to keep up with everything I need to do every day..." Sagimori was quiet for a moment, then he smiled again. "Oh, well, I'll manage it!"

"That's a great attitude to have," I murmured, "and if you don't mind, I'd like to go through the checklist here so you can get back to your busy day."

"Okay! Bring on the awkward sex questions!"

In a way, Sagimori's forced enthusiasm was better than pulling answers out of reluctant students, but there was something a bit sad about it. "First, do you have any concerns about your body? I realize that you're nearly eighteen now, so you've had time to adjust to all the changes--"

"No worries, everything is good! Of course, I couldn't help checking out things online and comparing myself to average sizes and stuff like that. I'm happy to report that everything is within the expected ranges!"

Somehow I resisted the urge to sigh. "Well, it's good that you're using online resources, but remember that there's no real substitute for professional guidance, so feel free to come to me if you have any detailed questions."

"Understood!"

"And, of course, there's the main question which will determine how the rest of this interview will go. Are you currently sexually active, or have you been in the past?"

"Nope!" Sagimori's bright smile and cheery tone were disarming, especially for that question, which most boys his age would be a bit flustered to answer in the negative.

So. He wasn't Asahina's partner either. It was someone outside of the student council. I wondered if it was one of Asahina's close friends, or if, after all, it was a boy he'd met outside of the school. That made sense, of course an outgoing boy like Asahina had friends from his previous middle school, and knowing him, he'd probably kept in touch. But wait. His boyfriend was older.

"Um, Dr. Matsuoka?" Sagimori was pouting a little at my lack of response. "Did you hear me?"

"Ah, yes, I did. I apologize, Sagimori, I have a lot on my mind thanks to all the preparation I did for this campaign." I held up my hand as he opened his mouth to protest. "I'm happy to be assisting the student council, but that doesn't mean I didn't have to work hard to get ready. Honestly, I'm grateful that you chose such a meaningful topic this year. I feel like this will be a great service for all the students."

That restored Sagimori's mood. "Yeah, I think it's great too! At first I thought Masatsugu was going a bit too far by suggesting it, but after pulling all the materials together, I got pretty enthusiastic about it! I want to have a good relationship with my special person someday too!"

I nodded. "And no one's born knowing these things. We all have to learn, either from example, or by being taught directly. So," I checked my list, "since you're not currently active, do you want to talk a bit about dating, or your plans for the future? Is there anything you want to ask?"

The normally cheery boy deflated a bit again, avoiding eye contact as he spoke. "W- well, I'm not dating anyone either, so... not really. And I've already read all the materials, since we had to write up the info pamphlets to advertise this event. I feel like I understood everything pretty well..."

His dark mood passed as quickly as it had come. "Oh well, it's fine! It will all happen whenever it's supposed to happen, right? So I just need to be patient!" He paused. "Um, I guess we can just do the general exam now, right? I don't want to miss too much of biology class..."

"Right," I agreed, though I couldn't help wondering if Sagimori's usual cheerful facade was just that; a well-polished veneer meant to hide feelings of disappointment and sadness. As the doctor for the entire school population, small as it was, I didn't have the chance to get close to individual students. As a whole, they seemed to trust me, but sometimes I felt that I wasn't making much of a difference, or that I couldn't quite reach the ones who needed help the most.

"Sagimori, keep in mind that I'm not just a medical doctor. I'm also a licensed counselor. If you ever need to talk to someone, no matter how trivial you think your worries might seem, my door is always open."

He gave me a bitter little smile in response. "I know. Maybe I will, after this health fair is over."

~~~

I'd mentally prepared myself - and physically prepared the office - for my first after lunch client, Jokawa Kiyotada, head of Durak and general troublemaker. During the preparations for the health fair, I'd caught him hanging around the office no less than three times, attempting to place some sort of listening device in the room. I'd finally resorted to calling Kazuki and explaining the situation, asking him to do something to help protect the privacy of the students. As expected, Kazuki found the circumstances somewhat amusing, but he was even more serious about security than I was. He'd talked me through the process of finding and removing _two_ bugs from the room - one more than I'd even been aware of - and he'd worked with Kasahara to adjust the security for the nurse's office so that Jokawa couldn't sneak in after hours to replace them.

I shook my head, making a face. Just how long had that other one been present in my office? Just thinking about it made my head hurt. Kazuki had said not to worry about it, that I couldn't hold myself responsible for student mischief, but... how many students had their confidentiality compromised?

" _Zdravstvuj_ , Dr. Matsuoka," Jokawa's light sing-song voice rang out as the door slid open. "Are you tired of asking teenage boys about their sex lives yet?"

"Jokawa, don't ask things like that. Come in here and take a seat."

"Right, right," he sighed, pulling back the curtain to enter the more intimate space. He was even taller than Takato, but was built completely differently, so thin and lanky that even the slim-fitted pants of his uniform were baggy on his legs. With that, plus his exotic foreign look and mischievous character, it wasn't hard to imagine why he was so popular, especially at this school full of boys who seemed to love unusual situations and people more than anything.

"I'm in the middle of Professor Sakaki's class now, so I don't mind if this ends up running long. In fact, I'd prefer it." He sat on the exam table, crossing his long legs with a smile. "So, I hear you have an impressive checklist full of embarrassing questions. Shall we get started?"

"Jokawa, before we talk about any of that, I want you to know that I'm not happy with you trying to place a listening device here in my office. This health fair is meant to give all of the students a safe place to discuss something that's difficult and frankly, highly embarrassing for most. You attempting to listen in is more than a violation of my privacy, you're also negating the promise of confidentiality I've made to my patients. Do you understand?"

He folded his arms over his chest, a frown on his lips. "Yeeeees, I understand. I was just trying to have a little fun. Surely you wouldn't deny me a bit of harmless entertainment."

"It's _not_ harmless. I'm asking to be trusted with very private information. How would you feel if someone listened in on your exam here?"

Jokawa shrugged. "I wouldn't care. I have nothing to be ashamed of."

I gave him a stern look. "You're probably the only one who feels that way. So I'd appreciate it if you'd stop trying to gather information from this office."

"Okay, okay, I get it."

Jokawa didn't sound like he got it, at least not the intent behind my policy, but if he was acknowledging my words, however reluctantly, there was a pretty good chance that he would abide by the rules. I made a mental note to check the office carefully after he left, though.

"Good. Then let's get started. How is your health in general recently?"

"Same as usual. My sense of taste is still totally backwards, my right eye can still clearly see things that are over a kilometer away, and my scars still aren't bothering me at all. In fact, I completely forget about them unless I happen to see them in the mirror." He smiled at me, but it was a falsely sweet smile that didn't reach his eyes. Well, eye.

If Jokawa thought he could get a rise out of me, he was wrong. I was used to maintaining absolute professionalism while dealing with temperamental high school students. Of course, that wouldn't stop him from trying. "So everything is normal, I take it. I'll mark you down as having no special complaints, unless there's something you want to discuss."

"No, no, nothing. Let's keep going, I want to get to the interesting questions."

"In that case, any concerns about your body's development? Of course, I realize you're nearly an adult now, but just in case..." Great, now I was trying to stall by asking useless things. Still, it was an important question, meant to coax answers out of a normally reluctant group. Though from the way Jokawa's eye glittered, he seemed anything but reluctant.

"My body is quite lovely. Well, you'll get to examine it later, so I'll spare you the details right now. Or actually, you can tell me what you think of it, how's that?"

"No, thank you. I'll be sure to inform you if there are any issues, of course."

"Hmm," he murmured, twirling the end of his ponytail around his finger. Bored or amused? I wasn't really sure. It might have been both.

"Those are the general questions. Your answers from now on will determine what kind of exam and testing I'll recommend." I glanced at the paper, though I'd asked enough times today to know which question was next. "Are you sexually active, either currently or at any point in the past?"

"I thought you'd never ask. Of course I am." Jokawa leaned forward, grinning. "And?"

So that was the game. If he thought he could embarrass me just by answering a little too eagerly, he was wrong. "Okay. How many partners have you had, and of which gender?"

He scratched at his chin, eye pointing up toward the ceiling as he considered. "Hmm, that's a good question. There's been, hmm, I think seven... no, eight girls, six guys, and one person who didn't really identify with either gender, though they had male equipment. So, fifteen?"

It sounded like nonsense, but I wasn't going to question him. For all I knew, it was completely true - after all, I'd already been shocked by Asahina's revelation earlier.

_Asahina._ I eyed the tall second-year student before me, who just smiled in response. The student council was friendly with Durak now, cooperating to organize all sorts of events and parties for the school. It was quite possible that a trusting boy like Asahina could be captivated by someone who oozed an odd but somewhat adultish charm like Jokawa.

"Fifteen, of both genders," I repeated, making a note.

"No," Jokawa corrected, "that's _fourteen_ of both genders, as you say, and one other."

I just looked at him briefly, but didn't say anything. He _was_ right, after all. "That gives me a good idea of the types of testing I'll recommend. And what kinds of protection are you using?"

"Whatever's appropriate for the situation, of course. Mostly condoms and such." He stretched and let out an exaggerated yawn. "I don't really need the lecture. Why don't we skip the rest of the questions and get to the part where I take off my pants?"

I probably shouldn't have asked, but something compelled me to say, "Is there a reason why you're so eager to skip directly to the physical exam?"

Jokawa made a face, eye pointing off toward the window instead of looking directly at me. "Hmm, well, it's a bit hard to say." He scratched at his cheek with one finger. "I guess there's no point in being coy about it. There's this little bump down there, and I'm starting to worry."

So _that_ was it. "Does it hurt?"

"If it gets rubbed the wrong way. It's just annoying otherwise." His eye rolled up toward the ceiling as he grumbled, "It's almost like it happened because of this health fair. I've never had a problem before."

I put aside my clipboard. "If you're always careful, then it could be something innocuous, like an insect bite. But instead of speculating, let's take a look."

Twenty minutes later, Jokawa left my office, armed with a topical antibiotic and my lecture on how proper shaving techniques could prevent ingrown hairs. He'd pouted and sighed through the entire thing, but thanked me sincerely on his way out for helping him get back into business.

After the door was safely shut behind him, it was _my_ turn to sigh.


	2. Day Two ~ Tuesday, October 24, 2017

The morning appointments on day two of the health fair were more of the same. Clueless boys who needed lectures about all sorts of sexual basics, or boys who were coming in just to come in, so their friends wouldn't think they were virgins. I'd had a full hour for lunch, giving me time to relax and recharge before the next student came in. It was Sonoda Eiji, the genius cook and a member of Durak.

"Dr. Matsuoka, are you here?" Sonoda's distinctive voice came from the doorway, and I realized that I'd left the privacy curtain in place, blocking myself from his view.

"Oh, yes, I'm here. Sorry about that, come right in."

Sonoda pushed aside the curtain and entered the private space, looking around for a moment before leaning against the padded exam table, arms folded over his chest. "Okay, I'm ready. I didn't think to ask before, but since this is right after the lunch rush, I'd appreciate if we could make this quick. I should really be helping with the kitchen cleanup."

I wanted to ask him why he'd scheduled his appointment immediately after lunch, but like the other students, he probably just wanted to get it out of the way as soon as possible. "The amount of time this takes will depend on your answers, but of course, I'll be respectful of your time. In that case, let's get started with the general questions. How is your health in general lately?"

"Fine, fine, except for this stupid cut on my finger that's taking forever to heal," Sonoda sighed, waving his index finger at me. "Isn't there anything you can do to make it heal faster?"

I adjusted my glasses with my own index finger. "Unfortunately, no, your body will have to go at its own pace, but if you keep it dry, that will help."

"Dry?" Sonoda snorted. "I have to cook, my hands are always wet!"

"You could try taking one day off to give your skin a break," I suggested. Sonoda just looked at me with an expression that clearly meant _are you insane?_

"Anyway," I amended, "change the bandage often, and keep it as dry as possible."

"Right, right," Sonoda muttered and rolled his eyes. "Next question, please."

"Any questions or concerns about your body's development?"

He made a face. "No, nothing at all, my body's great, thank you. Next?"

If he didn't want to answer, I wasn't going to pry; after all, any issues would be revealed in the physical exam. Not that I expected issues, not of any of the students, but there had been a few times in the past where _I'm fine_ had been said when a quick glance revealed that the young man was anything but fine. "Very well, next. Are you currently sexually active, or have you been at any time in the past?"

The young cook picked at his dyed braids, suddenly avoiding eye contact. I waited a good thirty seconds for an answer before prompting, "Sonoda?"

He closed his eyes with a noisy sigh. "Do... do blowjobs count?"

I wanted to cover my face with my hands, but I just made a note on my clipboard instead. "Yes, they do. And have you been giving or receiving, or both?"

"Ugh, of course I'm not _giving_ blowjobs, that's gross." Sonoda's face was red, and he was staring down at his feet.

"That's not very respectful of your partner," I gently reminded him. He'd probably freak out if he knew exactly where _my_ mouth had been about sixteen hours before.

"W- well, I guess, but I'd still never do it!"

"It's fine to have your preferences, just remember that everyone else has their own too, and you shouldn't judge them for that, okay?" I waited for his reluctant nod before continuing, "And speaking of your partner, or maybe partners, how many have you had?"

"Just one," he mumbled, fiddling with the ends of his hair.

"Okay," I made a note. "And what kind of protection have you been using?"

Sonoda just looked blankly at me.

Once again, I resisted the urge to sigh. "I assume that means you haven't. That's pretty common, but there is some risk. Do you know your partner's history? Of course, if you two have been exclusive with each other, there's really nothing to worry about."

Sonoda pressed the tips of his fingers to his forehead and made a face. "Oh my god, are you serious? I thought it was fine since he was the one--" He stopped short, face turning even redder. "I mean, my partner..."

So, another boy, then. Not unexpected, in a school filled with boys. "Don't worry about anything, every word you say here is confidential. You can be open with me."

Sonoda stared up at the ceiling. "Oh, whatever. It's just... I can't even answer that question! I don't know how many other people h- he's been with! It's not my job to keep track of that!"

"That's true, but since your partner's past and present activities can have an effect on your health, you have the right to ask. Before you two continue, it would be wise to have a discussion about how you want your relationship to go in the future. And if he's not already signed up for an appointment this week, it would be good for him to take advantage of this service too. That way, you can both make confident, informed decisions."

"Uggggh," Sonoda growled. "So what does that mean for me? Is my dick gonna fall off?"

Some days, I really wondered why I was still working at a boys' school. "Of course not. First of all, your partner could be completely clean. Second, even if he's not, it's pretty rare for infections to be passed that way; your partner's actually the one who's at the most risk, but it sounds like he's been your only partner so far, if I'm understanding correctly?"

"Y- yeah, what about it?"

"Nothing, I just want to be sure before making recommendations. So..."

As I explained the exams and tests to Sonoda, I couldn't help mentally crossing another boy off the list of Asahina's potential partners. It felt almost wrong to be so preoccupied with the identity of Asahina's lover, especially since he had taken care not to volunteer the information even though he was normally so open about everything. But I couldn't help worrying.

_Just relax and focus on one student at a time. That's all you can do. Wait for the results._

~~~

After Sonoda left, I had two short appointments with members of the music club. My final visitor of the day was Minase Arata, the star of the school's swim club. I was reasonably familiar with him, since he had spent some time in my office after his diving accident a few months before, and he'd come for several checkups since then to ensure that there were no lingering effects.

As usual, his ferret Maro came along for the visit; I couldn't see the small animal directly, but there was a telltale lump under the front of Minase's jacket that moved about every once in a while. I didn't mind. Whatever made the students feel more comfortable was okay with me.

"Hello, Doctor!" Minase called out in his usual cheery tone, hopping up to sit on the edge of the exam table without waiting to be invited. He really was a small boy; the table was too high for anyone's feet to reach the floor while seated there, but with Minase swinging his legs like a small child might, he seemed especially petite.

I couldn't help returning his bright smile. "Good evening, Minase, you're my last guest for today. I hope you're not too worn out from practice."

He shook his head. "No, not at all. Practice just started. And Arata's going back to practice after this, so coming here now is actually a bit of a break!"

"Oh, that's right, you have a big competition coming up soon. Sometimes I forget just how diligent the students at this school can be. You probably work harder than I do." It sounded like flattery, but it was true. The athletes, especially, trained with an intensity that was unmatched by the staff members who merely had to put in a normal effort at their jobs.

Minase laughed, an odd, high-pitched sound. "Praise like that makes Arata blush!"

Such an unusual manner of speaking. Well, it was usual for Minase. "It's sincere, though. But I'll spare you that embarrassment and move on to something different, if that's okay."

He nodded, still swinging his legs. "Oka~y!"

"So, would it be fair for me to note that you have no general health complaints at this time?"

"Right! Arata's in great shape right now," he confirmed.

"And are there any questions about your body?"

He tilted his head. "Arata's body?"

"Right," I nodded, "anything that might be troubling you, questions about the changes you've been experiencing as you get older, even worries about comparisons to others. Anything you want to ask, I'll do my best to answer, and of course, everything we discuss here is confidential."

"With others?" Minase's pale cheeks were faintly pink. "Arata tries not to look in the locker room."

Which was a good transition into another discussion. "When you say ‘tries not to,' does that mean you're curious? That's only natural. Or have there been problems with other boys because they thought you were looking at them?"

Minase eyed me like he wasn't quite sure how to respond. With his eyes slightly narrowed and a frown on his lips, he looked much more serious than usual. "Arata doesn't look," he finally said, flat tone a sharp contrast to his usual bouncy manner of speaking.

I didn't need my training as a doctor or counselor to know that there was more to it, and I knew I'd have to dig very carefully in order to unearth it without losing his trust. For the moment, it would be best to move on, and circle back to the possible issue later. "Okay, let's continue. These questions are to determine the type of exam I'll be doing, so please answer as best as you can."

"Ri~ight." He was back to his usual cheer, more or less.

"Have you ever been sexually active, either now or in the past?"

Minase just looked at me, his expression unreadable. As if summoned by his master's discomfort, the ferret peeked his head out and made a quiet _kuku_ noise, nuzzling the bottom of Minase's chin. Without thinking, Minase reached up to pet the small animal, turning his gaze away. "Yes."

As I'd suspected. I made a note on my clipboard. "And is that current or past?"

"Past. Not now." Minase's voice had dropped off again and was less sing-song than usual.

"Okay. And was that with girls, or boys?"

A long pause, then: "With other guys."

"With other guys, in the past," I repeated, and he half-nodded to confirm it. "What kinds of activity were you engaging in, and have you ever received any testing?"

"I haven't been tested. Isn't that why I'm here?"

I didn't like the way he was staring down at the floor, legs still and shoulders slumped. It was more than the hesitancy of being ashamed. I don't know how I knew that, but I just knew; maybe it was years of experience coming into play unconsciously, or maybe something about him reminded me of another boy's situation. I wanted to get up and sit beside him, to offer some sort of friendly presence, but if something really had happened to him in the past, he may not have wanted anyone getting too close to him without warning.

Though I'd helped him out after his accident, I still felt that he didn't trust me enough to open up. _If it even was an accident,_ I thought, eyes widening a bit. What had the circumstances been, exactly? I couldn't quite remember, but maybe there was something in my notes.

But Minase was here in front of me now, and there was no time for hesitation. What could I say that wouldn't sound like the hollow promises of an adult with only superficial interest? Maybe all I could do was try reaching out, putting my honest concern into it.

"Minase, it may be because this is a difficult topic for anyone to discuss, but I can't help feeling that you're hesitant to speak. This may sound pushy and insincere since we don't know each other well, but I want to remind you that I'm a licensed counselor as well as a doctor. If there's anything worrying you, I will do my very best to help you with it."

He sighed heavily, folding his arms across his chest. There was a long silence, and after about thirty seconds, the ferret peeked out again, spilling out of Minase's jacket and into his lap. Without making a sound, it rubbed its furry head against Minase's forearm, and the boy's fingers twitched, releasing their grip so he could scratch behind his pet's ears.

Minase spoke without looking up, focused on the ferret as if the small animal was his only link to reality. "I don't want to talk about it."

If he noticed my surprise at the sudden change in his voice, from a cute sing-song to a pronounced Kansai accent, he didn't give any indication, and kept speaking. "It was all in the past. That stuff is behind me now, and I don't think dwelling on it is going to help me." He petted the ferret's sleek body with his other hand. "I mean, I could spend all my time being sad and angry about it, but what will that solve?"

"If something is bothering you in a way that you can't seem to shake, talking to someone can help," I offered.

He shook his head. "It's not that bad. Not anymore. Just, sometimes, when I have to think about stuff like this, then I remember it more than usual. But this school is different. The captain won't let anyone say things to me. And I have friends who don't worry about... stuff like that." Minase glanced up tentatively, then went back to petting. "Of course there's Maro, but now I have people who support me, for real, instead of just saying they do."

"Good friends can make a world of difference. The care of a true friend is the best therapy." I glanced at Maro. "And there's nothing quite like the unconditional love of a pet."

"Yeah," Minase nodded, recovering a bit of his cheery tone. "I found Maro at just the right time."

"Kuku!" the ferret exclaimed, as if he could understand the conversation.

"I won't pry into your past, Minase," I assured him, "but if you ever want to talk, I'm here. Or if you have health concerns but don't want to tell me anything more than you already have, that's fair too. I'll help you no matter what, so please don't hesitate." I leaned forward in my chair, eyeing him over my glasses. "Okay?"

He looked away again, but it seemed more of a shy reaction than pure avoidance. "You're really pushy, Doctor."

Was I? I straightened up with a frown. "I'm sorry. It's not my intent to be pushy, but it's part of my job to uncover and address problems."

"I think it's more than just your job." Minase was watching me again. "You wouldn't be so wound up about it if it was just work. You worry a lot, don't you?"

For a boy who wore a persona that seemed so distant from reality, he was surprisingly observant. Of course, that was probably his real personality. "You're right, I do. This school is an amazing place, but it's not perfect. Things have happened in the past, so I'm always on alert. Like I said, I specialized in counseling, so I'm very sensitive to certain reactions and behaviors."

"Hmm, that must be annoying. Are you always unconsciously analyzing people, then?"

I gave him a little smile. "Maybe. I don't think it's a bad thing, though."

"I think I'd go crazy if I could somehow detect everyone's problems." Minase sighed. "I have enough stuff to worry about without adding more."

"Well, let me take care of some of your worries. You want to get tested, right?"

"Yeah, I guess." Minase was swinging his feet again. "I mean... it's been a couple of years, so it would have shown up by now, right? But I still want to be sure, so..."

I nodded. "This way, you'll be absolutely certain."

Minase left my office about fifteen minutes later, embarrassed but already a bit relieved. I made a note on the lab order that his samples should be placed in the priority testing group.

After he was gone, leaving me in the silent room, I wondered why I hadn't offered my own story as reassurance, like I had with Asahina. Minase needed the support even more. Then again, how shallow would it have seemed upon closer examination? I hadn't even understood my feelings for Hiroya until long after I'd become an adult. I'd never had to deal with peer pressure, bullying, or worse. Kazuki was the last person on earth who would judge me for realizing my love for someone who had been dear to me for a long time.

In other words, I couldn't relate to Minase at all. Hearing about my charmed life would only highlight the unknown wrongs that he had been forced to bear.

I leaned my elbows on my desk, clasping my hands.

_Please be safe and happy now. Not just you, Minase, but all the boys at this school. And if there is someone who needs help, please let them have the courage to speak to me._

It wasn't quite a prayer, but I felt it just as strongly.


	3. Day Three ~ Wednesday, October 25, 2017

I was a bit surprised that Kasahara had insisted on claiming the first exam slot on the third day of the health fair event, but I'd given it to him without hesitation. He'd been busy with his work as director recently, so it probably had something to do with his schedule. Keita had told me that Kasahara had missed class several times in the past few weeks in order to participate in meetings and conference calls. It had been the same for Kazuki in his time as director, but I was sure it was a heavy burden for Kasahara who was legitimately a student as well as director.

As expected, Kasahara was a few minutes late and yawning as he came through the door. "Morning," he muttered, skipping the exam table and heading straight for the bed.

"Wait, Kasahara, what are you doing? You're here for an exam, aren't you?"

"Nope," he yawned, pushing aside the curtain and climbing into bed. "My health is fine, I don't have any questions about my body, and unfortunately, I'm still a virgin. That's all you wanted to know, right? Oh, and you did my routine exam at the beginning of the school year, so I don't need another one."

I folded my arms across my chest. "Kasahara. Did you schedule this time slot just so you could get an extra hour of sleep?"

"Bingo," he confirmed, pulling the curtain shut. "Wake me up at 9:55, okay? Though honestly, I'd prefer if you'd let me sleep through _all_ of English class..."

"I have someone else coming in at ten," I reminded him. "You can't be here for that."

"That's a shame. You know I won't wake up just because there's people talking in here." Another mighty yawn came from behind the curtain. "Are you sure you can't make an exception?"

"I'm sure. I know it takes no less than an earthquake to wake you, but I can't let you stay here while I'm examining someone else."

"Hmm, ‘kay," he replied, already sounding half-asleep. "Better not waste any time, then..."

Less than a minute later, his breathing had slowed to a not-quite snore. I shook my head, smiling.

_You really are amazing, Kasahara. In various ways._

~~~

The first student to visit after my lunch break was Yagami Reon, who had been a frequent visitor until recently, so I felt rather comfortable around him. Despite his rough speech and tough manner, he was actually a considerate and diligent boy, serious about his art and well-liked by his friends. Of course, if he knew I thought of him that way, he'd probably curse me out and stalk off, so I kept my opinions to myself.

"Yo, Matsuoka! You in here?" Yagami slammed the door behind himself and whipped back the curtain. "There you are. If you sit behind the curtain, how's anyone supposed to know you're in?"

"I guess they wouldn't," I admitted, motioning for him to enter. Yagami jerked the curtain shut behind himself before hopping up onto the exam table. I didn't bother asking him not to be so rough; it was just his nature, and no amount of reminders would change him. Instead, I settled into my chair and picked up my clipboard without comment.

Before I could open my mouth to begin the introductory explanation, Yagami leaned forward. Was it my imagination, or was his face already getting a bit red? "Okay, Matsuoka, I know all the questions you're going to ask already, so don't bother." His voice dropped lower. "I- I'm not with anyone, or dating, or any of that stuff. But stupid Asahina made me sign up for this thing, and I sure as hell wasn't going to tell him that I've never had a girlfriend or whatever! I'm not gonna be one of those guys who goes in for the sex exam and comes back to class five minutes later. It's totally obvious to everyone that he's not getting any! That would totally ruin my image!"

Oh, dear. The self esteem of high school boys was so wrapped up in image and appearances. I should have expected that sort of demand. "Yagami..."

"Yagami nothing! I'm not going back until my time is up!" He was loud again, voice echoing in the small office. "I'm gonna stay here for the entire hour, got it? This is my time slot and I'm gonna use it! You can't make me go back!"

That did it. I couldn't help myself; I dropped the clipboard on the table and started laughing. That just riled Yagami up even more.

"Hey! Matsuoka! You're supposed to be a professional, aren't you? What are you laughing at?" Yagami waved his arms at me. "Hey, are you listening?"

"I'm... listening..." I managed to gasp, but Yagami's reactions only made me laugh harder.

"Geez, what's wrong with you? Don't laugh at me!"

"I'm not, I just..."

"You really are losing it, Matsuoka. Maybe you need to take a vacation after this stupid health fair is over. All this bullshit about sex has messed up your brain." Yagami kicked at the edge of the exam table with his heel. "So annoying, who wants to talk about that stuff anyway?"

I pulled off my glasses and wiped at my eyes. "Sorry, Yagami... I didn't mean to laugh at you. It's just so like you to be that honest."

"Who the hell is honest? Don't lump me in with an idiot like Asahina!"

Asahina. I still wondered who his boyfriend was. Yagami was in his class, maybe I could tease some information out of him. After all, I was going to be spending the next fifty minutes or so with him, and chatting about his recovery from surgery wouldn't take up more than five of them.

"Most everyone at this school is honest, Yagami. That's a good thing. Anyway," I replaced my glasses, adjusting them carefully, "since we're going to spend the rest of the hour together, why don't we both take a bit of a break from the usual grind?" I pulled open the top drawer of my desk and rummaged around for a minute, producing a deck of cards and a bag of one yen coins.

Yagami's eyes lit up. "You want me to kick your ass in poker again?"

"If you think you can," I grinned, "or have you conveniently forgotten last time?"

He really did blush at that. "It's because you shuffled badly!"

"Right, right," I agreed, completely insincere, and pulled out another chair and motioned toward the clear side of my desk. "Here, I'll let you shuffle and deal first, then."

"Fair enough," he muttered, hopping down to take a seat across from me. He snatched the pack of cards and dumped them out, shuffling with a practiced ease while I divided the coins evenly between us. "Here, cut."

I cut the deck as requested. "So, how is the recovery from your surgery going? I know it was a couple of months ago, but I still worry about you now and then. You're not experiencing any pain, are you?"

"Geez," Yagami sighed, "you worry too much. If it hurt, I'd be in here complaining about it." He dealt the cards, setting the rest of the deck aside. "And before you ask more useless questions, my hearing is just fine. I'm still getting used to it, though."

I picked up my cards with a nod. "That's to be expected. It took your brain time to learn how to compensate for the hearing loss, so now that it's back, it will take time to adjust again. I hope it won't affect your playing too much."

"Tch, you really do worry too much. I'll figure it out. I'm not going to be held back by something that simple." He glanced at his cards, eyes narrowing slightly. "You gonna up your bet or not? I dealt this round, so you go first."

"Hmm," I pushed a few yen into the pot. "Poker is a bit boring with just two people, isn't it?"

"What, you want to play old maid instead? At least this is a man's game." Yagami eyed my bet and added an equal amount to the pot. "You can back out after you lose to me."

"That won't happen." I put in a few more coins. "I'm pretty confident that I can beat you. Now, if I was playing against someone like Professor Ito, or Asahina... well, I wouldn't even try."

Yagami snorted, amused. "Yeah, I heard that Ito has good luck just like Asahina. I wonder what would happen if the two of them tried playing rock-paper-scissors. I guess it would just be an endless string of ties. That's kind of boring." He looked up toward the ceiling, considering. "We'd have to do something more interesting than that. What if they both bought a lottery ticket? Huh, but they'd end up splitting the jackpot... damn, isn't there some way to see who's luckier?"

"I don't think they'd abuse their luck like that, buying lottery tickets."

"Too bad, because I sure would. Imagine how many guitars I could buy! I'd have one for every day of the year!" He glanced down at the coins on the desk. "Instead, I'm stuck playing one-yen poker with money that isn't even mine. Heh. I'm done after this." He matched my bet and sat back.

"Me too. What do you have?"

Yagami tilted his hand forward, revealing his cards. "Two pair, nothing special. You?"

"Three eights." I raked the small pile of coins toward my side.

"Figures," Yagami grumbled. "I really don't have any luck."

After a few more hands, Yagami proved himself wrong, claiming the entire pile of yen with a surprisingly lucky four of a kind. He glanced up at the clock, but we still had a full half hour remaining. I opened my mouth to suggest that he could go back to class, but he read my mind, pounding one fist on the desk. "Aww, hell, I'm not going back to class now! Ito's class will be over at the end of the hour anyway, so there's no point. And I don't want some idiot teacher like him thinking I'm not popular or whatever." Yagami's cheeks darkened.

"Professor Ito isn't an idiot," I gently reminded him. "He's a new teacher, true, but he's worked very hard to develop his skills and become a teacher worthy of this school."

"You talk about him like you're pals or something."

I considered denying it, but what was the point? "I've known the professor for a long time. Remember, I've been at this school for over seven years now. I was new here back when he was a student. He helped me out with something very important in his first year at the school, so we've been close ever since then. I can't think of anyone else who deserved the job more."

"Heh, that's kind of unexpected." Yagami shuffled and reshuffled the cards, more to keep his hands busy than out of any intention of playing more games. "But I guess it makes sense, you'd know the teachers and other staff pretty well."

"That's right. People tend to stick around once they come to the school, so there isn't a lot of turnover around here. Well, except for the recent change of director..." I closed my eyes and let out a quiet breath. If only I'd been able to do more for Nao... if I'd checked him daily instead of every few days, maybe the sudden worsening of his condition would have been caught sooner, and--

Yagami's sullen response jarred me out of my thoughts. "Don't tell me you're friends with that jerk Sakaki too."

"Yagami, please don't call your teachers jerks or idiots, that's impolite."

"Tch, if it's true, it's true. That's not my fault."

"It's your opinion. And no, I'm not particularly close to Professor Sakaki, he's the type who likes to keep to himself. The school nurse doesn't really have much reason to spend a lot of time with the assistant director or anyone else at that level." Kazuki and Nao had been exceptions, but I never spent much time with other members of the board. To be honest, if I were to bump into any board member aside from Kasahara and Sakaki, I wouldn't recognize their faces or names.

"Yeah, but he's not the assistant director now. Got fired after the Bell One, I heard, since he failed to shut this place down. I bet that knocked him down a peg or two, getting his ass kicked by a couple of morons like Asahina and Kasahara. Maybe that's why he's actually making an effort to be a decent teacher lately. Afraid he'll get fired from that too, probably..."

Yagami's words reminded me that, several other students and teachers had mentioned the recent shift in the professor's behavior. His usual harsh teaching methods had softened a bit, and he was spending extra time in class to make sure that everyone followed the lessons. He'd even opened up tutoring to students in the regular class, something that he'd declared he'd absolutely never do the last time Keita and I had run into him at the oden stall after hours.

"Rude observations aside, you're not the first one to tell me that Professor Sakaki's changed. Is he treating you guys in the regular class less harshly now?"

"Yeah, it's kind of weird. The last time I asked a question, he actually answered it instead of telling me I should stop being lazy and look it up myself. And when Yamada complained about him going too fast, he slowed down and reviewed stuff again. And get this," Yagami leaned forward. "After he did that, he went back to Yamada and asked him if the explanation helped. Like a _real_ teacher. The hell is that all of a sudden? It's too weird."

"Would you rather have him throwing chalk all throughout class?" That had been one of Yagami's biggest complaints about math class. Of course Professor Sakaki hadn't known about Yagami's injured ear at first, or he never would have have targeted him. But it had been Yagami's choice not to tell his teachers why he needed to miss class so often, reluctant enough about telling them it was a medical issue and that they could verify with me if they were doubtful.

"Oh, he's still throwing crap around, but not at me. I told him I was still recovering from surgery and I'd sue his ass if he messed up my ear! Geez, how the hell can anyone throw chalk that hard? Anyway, what I want to know is why it's okay to throw stuff in the first place! I bet stupid teachers can't get away with crap like that in America!"

"Well..." He had a point. "Maybe I'll talk to Professor Sakaki about it."

"Nah, it's kind of funny now that it's Asahina who's getting beaned all the time." Yagami snorted, amused by the memory. "Last time, Sakaki had to call his name five times just to get his attention, and then _bam_ , right in the middle of the forehead!"

"Asahina, huh? He doesn't seem like the type to slack off in class."

"Yeah, he's usually such a goody-goody. It's kinda weird, with Sakaki chilling out, and Asahina getting dumber than usual. Maybe they're still in shock from the Bell One. Or maybe..." A somewhat evil grin came to Yagami's lips. "Well, I'm sure you've heard the latest rumors about Sakaki already. I wonder how true it is, heh."

I raised one eyebrow. "Yagami, I'm sure Professor Sakaki isn't drinking during school hours." I certainly wasn't going to volunteer any of my knowledge about his after hours activity. To be fair, I'd never seen the professor indulge to the point of anything more than mild tipsiness, even though that required drinking more than myself and Hiroya combined.

"Heh, that's not it. I guess you don't get to hear any of the good stuff since you're holed up in this tiny office by yourself all day." Yagami spun one of the coins on the desk. "Word is that Sakaki's mellowed out a bit because he's finally getting laid. Man, if that's true, I feel sorry for that girl. She's gonna be pretty disappointed when his full jerktastic glory is revealed."

"You kids are terrible," I sighed. "You shouldn't be speculating on the sex lives of your teachers."

"This from the guy who's grilling teenagers about _their_ sex lives."

"Hey, this is part of my job. You don't think I _want_ to spend an entire week dragging dark secrets out of reluctant teenagers, do you? But if I can help the students of this school avoid problems, or escape bad relationships, or just feel better about their bodies, it's worth it."

"Oh, so you're _not_ getting off on this?"

"Yagami," my voice took on a note of warning, "I don't mind spending time with you, and I feel like we have a good relationship, but some things are inappropriate. Don't cross the line with me. I'm a professional and I expect to be treated as such."

The fire drained from Yagami's manner, and he looked away, face red. "W- well... I know that. I just got a little carried away, that's all. S... sorry."

"It's all right. Just, please... watch your tongue. I don't want you getting yourself into trouble, either here at school or in the music world."

"Yeah, yeah, I get it." He slouched in the chair.

"So, in that case," I picked up the deck of cards, "how about a game of old maid?"

~~~

Thankfully, my next appointment was just a filler, though of course I'd added it to my schedule and blocked out the time just like I had for everyone else. But there was no reason to ask Keita about the details of his private life; that hadn't changed in over seven years now.

"Hi, Dr. Matsuoka!" He pushed his way through the door, somehow carrying two large mugs in one hand. "I thought you could use some coffee right about now."

"I could probably use something a bit stronger, actually, but since I have three more appointments after this, I'd better not." I pulled the mug toward me, breathing in the distinctive sweet aroma. Keita kept his own French press in the staff room and seemed to have a different blend each week - gifts from Kazuki, no doubt - and he never hesitated to share with anyone who had fifteen minutes to spare.

Keita giggled, setting down his own mug. "If you get desperate, you could always check Professor Sakaki's desk. Rumor has it that he's calmed down lately because he finally decided to start drinking between classes."

"You don't really believe that, do you, Professor Ito?"

"Of course not! And anyway, stop calling me _Professor Ito_ , we've known each other forever. Just Keita is fine."

"Hmp," I snorted, sipping at my coffee, "I'll do that as soon as you stop calling me Dr. Matsuoka."

"I- I can't do that!" Keita looked scandalized. "You're a _doctor_ , I couldn't be that disrespectful..."

"And you've worked hard to become a teacher at this school," I reminded him. "So I want to show my respect for that. And, of course, for everything you've done for me."

His cheeks colored; he really hadn't changed since his time as a student, emotions still clear on his honest face. "I didn't do anything, really, just donated a little blood, probably less than you've been taking from the students today for testing. It was nothing, really."

"Maybe so, but that selfless act gave me everything."

That brought a soft smile to his lips. "I'm so glad it all turned out well. And that we can all be friends now, the four of us, is a blessing. Though it hardly ever works out that way these days, with Kazuki away on business all the time." His fingers tightened around the mug.

"He'll be back soon, won't he?"

"Who knows? His trip keeps getting extended. I think this is the third time already. Anyway," he shrugged, as if shaking off his bad mood, "I didn't come here to throw more worries on your pile, I'm sure you have plenty already. I'm here to check on you. And, well... I know you can't give me details about anything you've heard, but are the students okay? If there's anything bad going on, I just... I can't stand thinking about it."

Keita never really talked about it, but from the vague things he'd mentioned about his time at the school, it was clear that at least one of his friends had been involved in something unpleasant. That was one of the failures that haunted me. Back then, I'd been too caught up in my own anger and my desire to do something, anything, for Hiroya, that I'd missed the signs around me. The only comfort I had, small as it was, was that something Keita did way back then had made a difference for that boy. But that sort of thing shouldn't be left to the students.

"Nothing bad so far, aside from the expected problem of teenage boys being somewhat clueless about sex. At least this event will help with that issue."

"That's good, so no one to worry about so far?"

I lowered my eyes, thinking again of Asahina. Why was I so worried about him? He'd proven himself to be strong and resourceful during the Bell One, and in his interactions with others, students and staff alike. And he was happy with his relationship, just a bit naive. In other words, he was similar to the rest of his peers.

"Dr. Matsuoka?" Keita tapped my mug. " _Is_ there someone?"

I shook my head. "Not really. Just some unexpected answers, that's all. It's easy to make assumptions about the students and what they might be doing, so when I get an answer that I wasn't prepared for, it throws me off a little."

Keita smiled again. "My own answers from my school days would have been rather surprising too, I guess. Even to myself, if I'd thought about it just a month before it all happened..."

I bit my tongue to keep from saying anything. He _still_ had no idea how popular he'd been back then, with at least three boys seriously interested in him, and that was excluding the very obvious Naruse and the more subtle but still obvious Kazuki. If he hadn't wound up with his pretend classmate, I would have been surprised if Keita hadn't ended up half-married to one of his other friends by the end of his first year.

"Well, high school is an exciting time for most people. It's only natural. I know we can't control what the boys learn in middle school - or rather, what they _don't_ learn - but once they're here, they need practical information. This topic should be covered every year, as close to the beginning of the year as possible."

"I'm sure Kasahara would agree. You should propose it to him."

"I would, but I'm afraid he has his hands more than full at the moment. It's going on four months without an assistant director, at least in an official capacity. Once that mess gets resolved and all the backlog gets cleared out, I'll talk to Kasahara about it." I took off my glasses and rubbed my eyes. "Speaking of Kasahara, how are things going with him?"

"Slower than expected," Keita sighed, "because Kazuki keeps getting stuck on these neverending business trips. I should get used to it, since that's how life will be from now on."

"So you'll be the primary dad?" I teased.

"Don't say that, I'm afraid that if anyone talks about it too much, it will somehow go bad. I don't even dare to hope in my own mind." He traced the rim of his mug with one finger. "Kasahara stays at our apartment some weekends now, when he's not too busy. I really hope he can have Professor Sakaki reinstated soon so they can officially share the work. Of course, the professor is helping as much as he can behind the scenes, but he doesn't have any real influence right now. I've tried to help as much as I can, too, but it's the same problem. The board doesn't care about a new teacher... though there was one guy who actually remembered me from the MVP battle. Talk about embarrassing."

"Well, it's only been seven years. That's not too long for corporate fossils."

That finally got a smile out of him. "Yeah, he _was_ a bit of a fossil, now that you mention it. Guys like that really have no business making decisions about a school. All they care about is looking good to each other and making a profit."

"You sound like Kazuki. And Nao."

"And Kasahara," Keita added with a fond expression. "He's grown so much since that first time I met him. I'm proud of him. And a bit ashamed that I didn't do more for him."

I patted the back of his hand. "Don't worry so much. Kasahara probably wasn't ready to accept support from anyone at that time. It took a special friendship to draw him out. As a teacher, you may have seemed difficult to approach. That's changed, hasn't it?"

"It has. Very much." He sighed again, but it was a happier sound. "We really do seem a bit like a family when we're all together. Even if it's never made official, I hope he understands that we'll always be there for him."

"I'm sure he does. But if you're not confident, why not tell him directly?"

"We have, both of us. But it's one thing to be told something, and quite another to believe it."

It was a simple statement, and I could tell from his expression that he wasn't seriously worried. Like Kasahara had transformed over the past few months, Keita himself had changed. He'd been very different when I'd first seen him again at staff orientation before the start of the new term. Of course, he'd matured physically, but the increase in his confidence had been more impressive. He'd always been friendly, but he'd also become more self-assured, willing to speak his own mind and ask questions, when before he'd often silenced himself to avoid saying something wrong.

And over the past few months, not just with the Bell One, but also in getting used to his new responsibilities, he'd changed again. He was already spoken of as a kind, reliable teacher, one who could explain the mysteries of adolescence just as well as the mysteries of the past. Just as popularity during his student years had boosted his spirit and helped him feel that he belonged at the school, his recognition as a teacher was enhancing his ability.

In other words, a reputation was being created, and he was living up to it. I was sure that the confidence it inspired would only enhance his luck, and help him cultivate a good relationship with Kasahara.

Keita poked my arm. "You got quiet all of a sudden."

"Sorry, I was just thinking."

"Oh, about what?"

I shook my head. "Just some private thoughts. Don't mind me." I took a sip of my coffee before continuing, "So, what's up with your second year class? You mentioned that some students weren't doing so well?"

"Chiba," Keita groaned, looking like he was about to flop forward onto the table, exhausted by the mere mention of his name. "No matter what I do, I can't get that boy to study."

"I thought so. But you're in luck, he's made an appointment with me as well. How about if I try pushing him a little, just to see if I can convince him to make an effort?"

Keita was suddenly sitting up straight. "Are you serious? Maybe he'll listen to you because you're a doctor, or because you're older than me, or simply because you're _not_ me. Please don't tell me you were just kidding, I really need help with him. Professor Sakaki just laughs and walks away every time, saying ‘it can't be helped' or whatever."

"Of course I'm serious. His appointment is tomorrow, I'll give it a try."

"You're a lifesaver! Ahhh, I'm so relieved."

I couldn't help laughing at at how overly grateful he was. "I'm not promising results, you know. But I will give it an honest try."

We passed the rest of the hour chatting about everything from television dramas, to new restaurants opening in the area, and finally back to school matters. By the time Keita left, I was refreshed and ready to face the rest of my day.


	4. Day Four ~ Thursday, October 26, 2017

My second appointment on Thursday was with Chiba Hayato, the final member of Durak, and the star of the kendo team. In fact, he'd won the national tournament for high school students a few months back, a fact that his fellows in Durak and the rest of the school had used as a reason to celebrate for an entire week. Chiba himself hadn't attended most of the parties that had been held in his honor, preferring the quiet solitude of training at the dojo. It hadn't stopped the rest of his friends from celebrating, though I did recall that a few of them had complained about his absence.

He knocked firmly on the door before entering. "Doctor."

"Good morning, Chiba, how are you?" I motioned for him to come in.

"Fine." He looked at me for a moment before sitting on the exam table.

"That's good to hear. Are your classes going well?" I'd heard Keita's complaints multiple times; the least I could do was try to get a bit of information for him. Maybe Chiba was having difficulty understanding something, but didn't want to discuss it with any of his regular teachers.

He just shrugged. "Good enough."

Chiba wasn't exactly known for being a man of many words, or a lover of small talk, but I fancied myself rather skilled at getting information out of wary students. "Hmm, I've heard that you've been taking some make up lessons. Is there anything that could be done to help you keep up in class, so you don't have to spend any of your valuable training time on extra lessons?"

"I don't waste time on lessons."

I leaned back in my chair, crossing my legs. "I've heard that you'll skip your extra lessons if you're busy training for a competition. That won't help you improve your grades."

"Myself isn't worried about grades."

No wonder Keita was in such a state. Chiba didn't seem concerned at all. "You don't want to be held back a year, do you? I'm sure that would affect your national ranking."

That seemed to get a reaction. Chiba shifted about on the table. "Well..."

"Congratulations on your win. I look forward to following your career in the future. Less than two more years before you're finished with high school and off into the adult competitions." There, a little positive pressure ought to get him thinking about his schoolwork more seriously.

Chiba sighed. "Studying might be important," he reluctantly agreed.

"I'm sure Professor Ito would be happy to help you with your studies."

At that, Chiba just made a face. It would probably be best to just get started with his exam instead of meddling. Keita would probably have to deal with Chiba's attitude later. I said a quick mental apology and picked up my clipboard. "Anyway, let's proceed with the exam. I'll ask some general questions first."

"Understood."

"First, do you have any complaints about your health in general lately? Are you sleeping and eating well, no aches or illness?"

"Myself is healthy."

Why on earth did Chiba talk like that? Between Minase yesterday and Chiba today, it seemed like the entire school was full of weird kids. But almost before I finished that thought, I felt a pang of guilt; Minase's silly persona was just a mask he wore to protect himself from perceived threats. For all I knew, Chiba might be the same.

"Good. And do you have any questions about your body's development?"

He just looked at me. "Development?"

"Yes, your physical development as you go through puberty. If you have any concerns about the changes in your body, I can help you with that."

"Oh." Chiba's cheeks darkened. "N- no questions."

"You can ask me anything," I reminded him gently. "Don't hesitate to stop me at any time during this interview if you want more information or have a question for me, okay?"

His spine stiffened. "R- right."

"Now the tough question." I smiled, trying to put him at ease.

I don't know how he managed it, but Chiba sat up even straighter than before. "Ready!"

It was somewhat amusing that he was steeling himself physically, as if the unpleasant question was actually some sort of odd physical assault. For many young boys, it may as well have been that way. "Are you currently sexually active, or have you been at any time in the past?"

Chiba's ears turned red. "N- no!"

My shoulders slumped, just a little. I could understand the student council trying to set a good example, but it really wasn't necessary for Durak. "Then, Chiba, I don't think you need an appointment with me today. Unless you have any questions for me, you're free to head back to class."

"No! Myself cannot leave yet!"

Oh dear. Was he using the appointment as an excuse to skip class? If I recalled correctly, he never missed regular classes, but it made sense that he would take advantage of an event. Plenty of other boys had already tried that during the health fair. "Chiba, if there's no reason for me to examine you, then--"

"There is!"

I pushed my glasses back up my nose, reminding myself to be patient. Maybe Chiba had vague worries and just needed some reassurance. "But you just said you haven't been sexually active. This is a sexual health exam, but if you've never had sex, there's no point. You're fine."

"No, I can't go back without completing my mission."

"Mission?"

"Yes! Joker ordered me to have the full exam."

Jokawa's order. Of course. I made a mental note to give him another lecture the next time I bumped into him. Would it kill him to order Chiba to do something constructive, like finish his homework or study for tests? "I see. Unfortunately, I can't offer you an exam."

"You can't?!" Chiba's eyes narrowed.

I'd have to explain carefully, or he'd never be satisfied. "No, I can't. It would go against the school rules to provide unneeded medical services. It would use up resources that should be used for the students who really need it. You wouldn't want someone else to miss out on getting the medical care they need, would you?"

Chiba fidgeted on the table, rustling the paper. "That would be..."

"Please remember that I'm the only doctor on this island. I'm serving the students, the school staff, and all of the staff for the research facility as well. The office is well-stocked," I gestured toward the cabinets, "but supplies are limited. And so is my time."

"But... it was an order..."

An order. A flash of inspiration brought a smile to my lips. "I have my orders too, Chiba. I've been ordered to protect the health and safety of everyone on this island. And I won't allow anyone else to interfere with those orders. This office and its patients are my territory, and I will serve them without fail." I met his eyes. "Is that clear?"

Chiba studied the floor for a moment, considering, then raised his head. "Understood."

_That was easier than I expected._ I tried not to let my surprise show on my face. "Good. Remember, I'm always here if you need help, but right now, please go back to class."

At that, Chiba looked a bit disheartened, but he dutifully hopped down from the exam table and nodded his head to me with a serious look. It seemed that I had earned some measure of respect. "Yes, Doctor. I'll be going now."

Hmm. If it was that easy to convince Chiba, then maybe Keita just needed to employ a bit of strategy and beat him at his own game, so to speak. It would probably be more difficult than the trick I'd just pulled, but then again, Keita had luck on his side.

I sent him a text: _Meet me after school. I have some ideas about the Chiba situation._

~~~

Professor Sakaki had the next appointment, immediately after his first year ultimate class. I didn't quite know what to make of his participation in the event. Though he'd been at the school since just before Kazuki left, no one had been close to him except for Nao. That, at least, had seemed like a genuine friendship and not just one born of necessity, and they'd spent most of their free time together. They'd been close until the very end.

But now there was no one on staff who could penetrate that cool, aloof exterior. It was almost as if losing Nao had reminded Sakaki why he held himself apart from others in the first place, and he'd withdrawn into quiet, emotionless safety. I felt especially remote; in my position as staff doctor, I usually knew everyone else in at least a professional capacity, but though Sakaki lived on campus, he didn't use me as his personal doctor. It made sense that he had an existing relationship with someone else before transferring to Bell Liberty, but it was unusual for anyone to forego the convenience of an on-site doctor.

So why was he coming to me for a sexual health checkup, of all things?

As expected, Sakaki arrived as scheduled, though a faint smell of cigarette smoke and the slight disarray of his hair betrayed that he had hurried from the rooftop to make it on time. He was combing his hair back into place with his fingers as he pushed aside the curtain. "Good morning."

Though in the professor's eyes, there was no such thing as a _good morning_. I wondered how the students would react if they knew how much of a zombie he was in the staff room before class, staring blankly into a mug of black coffee. Newcomers to the school, like Keita, quickly learned to leave him in peace as he struggled to shake off the fog of sleep. But during the day, Sakaki became alert and almost lively, more so now than before the Bell One. Maybe losing the assistant director's position had been a blessing in disguise, leaving him free to focus on teaching. And to get some sleep.

"Hello, Professor Sakaki," I returned his greeting, gesturing toward the paper-covered exam table. He took a seat without hesitation, folding his hands in his lap. "Now, I know this isn't the focus of today's appointment, but I'd be remiss in my duties as a doctor if I didn't remind you that the best thing that you could do for your health right now is quit smoking."

With that, he pressed one hand to his temple and sighed. I expected him to fire back with the usual caustic retort, but his response surprised me. "You'll be happy to know that I'm _trying_. It's hard when things are so stressful."

"Are you and Kasahara still fighting with the board over having you reinstated? He didn't seem too happy about their resistance." I thought about asking if he actually _wanted_ to be reinstated, but I didn't feel that he would be so open with me.

"That's part of it," he acknowledged, shifting to cross his feet at the ankles. "It's getting to be a problem for Kasahara, working so long without official support. I do what I can behind the scenes, but I'm sure the board knows that I'm involved." He closed his eyes with a snort. "Well, it's not like I try to disguise my handwriting or compose in a different style."

"That must be hard for both of you," I sympathized. Kasahara had been stopping by for naps more often than usual, caught up in the struggle between the factions as well as the actual work of being director. "If you don't mind me saying so, you've been looking more tired than usual these past few months."

"Than usual, huh?" Sakaki muttered, folding his arms over his chest. Maybe it was just a trick of the light as he turned his face away, but I could have sworn that his cheeks darkened a little. Or it could have been the light catching and highlighting the dark circles under his eyes. Whatever it was, the professor was definitely uncomfortable, his body language screaming _I do not want to be here._

His discomfort was almost enough to put _me_ on edge. "Anyway, why don't we get started?"

"Hmp. Spare me the interrogation, I'm not a fifteen year old boy. Just get what you need for testing and I'll be on my way."

If only it could be that simple. "I'm sure you know that I need to ask some questions to determine what kinds of samples are required, and so I can tell the lab what to test for. And I assume you'll want the appropriate physical exam as well."

He just stared at me for a few moments, expression unreadable. "Yes, of course."

Tough customer. Though not as tough as usual these days, if the rumors were to be believed. I decided to press my luck and dig for a bit of information. "I'm surprised that you're participating in this event, Professor Sakaki. After all, I'm not your regular doctor. I think the only time I've seen you in a professional capacity was the time you lost your voice after getting into a shouting match with the other members of the board."

His lips quirked at that, not quite a smile. "I may have gone a bit overboard that time."

But he was dodging my implied question. All I could do was ask outright, "Is there something concerning you that couldn't wait for your regular doctor?"

Sakaki studied me without speaking for about half a minute, as if trying to decide if I could really be trusted with his personal information. Somehow just sitting quietly and waiting for him to continue was enough for me to pass inspection, and he sighed again. "No, nothing like that. I got tested after my last relationship ended, but now I'm with someone new. I promised to get checked for their peace of mind, that's all. It's completely unnecessary, but..." He shrugged. "Well, that's how it is."

So the rumor Yagami had heard was true. "It's good to respect a new partner's wishes."

"I told you, I'm not a fifteen year old boy, you don't have to praise me for doing something so basic." Despite his harsh words, he didn't seem too irritated.

"Sorry, I guess I've fallen into that habit this week."

"I can't imagine how annoying it must be to extract that sort of information from teenagers. It's hard enough getting them to answer questions during class."

For someone who was usually so direct that he was often accused of being blunt, Sakaki was being awfully avoidant all of a sudden. "If you don't mind, I'll need you to answer a few of my questions, please, so I can order the proper tests. I know you've been tested recently, but about your previous and current partners, were they male or female, or both?"

He snorted. "It would be terribly awkward for someone to be both, wouldn't it?"

_Are you_ sure _you're not a fifteen year old boy?_ "You know what I mean."

"Of course." He straightened up, serious again. "Male. Always. I'm sure you can imagine how difficult my personal situation would become if that was common knowledge. I trust that my information will not leave this office."

I nodded, my years of experience allowing me to maintain my professional calm, though my mind was buzzing as it processed the revelation. I'd wondered about him every now and then, but Sakaki himself provided no evidence either way; as far as I knew, he could have been asexual. I'd heard Sonoda teasing him about his lack of female companions on several occasions, and so had assumed that was his preference. After all, his cousin would have known best. Or so I'd thought. "Of course not. You have my word as a doctor."

"I want your word as a man as well. No one finds out, not even Yoshizumi. And I know you two hang around with Ito on occasion. I don't want it getting back to him either."

It irritated me that he felt the need to clarify his request, but with his position and personal concerns, I could understand his desire to make demands. "I understand your concern, but there's no need. I assure you that no one's confidential information comes home with me, just like Hiroya's work on classified projects stays in the lab. We don't share."

"You don't have to be so touchy about it."

"I wasn't being touchy about it." I leaned back and folded my arms over my chest, quite aware that my pose was at odds with my words. "I'm just letting you know, I'm not like that."

"That's called being touchy." He was smiling, faintly, but it was there. I couldn't help thinking that he would probably be much more popular with the students and staff if he'd just smile more. With his stern look softened by a genuine expression, rather than the usual sarcastic smile, he looked so much more approachable.

"Well, let's get this over with," he muttered, unaware of my musings, and unbuttoned his cuff. He paused with his sleeve half rolled up and looked directly at me. "I assume you have plenty of experience drawing blood? My doctor always complains that I'm hard to stick."

Was it just me, or did he seem a bit uncomfortable? "I've drawn blood plenty of times. I've been told I'm pretty good at it, even by people who normally have a bit of trouble."

"It's more than a _bit_ of trouble," Sakaki grumbled, offering me his elbow and turning his face away. "Just make it quick."


	5. Day Five ~ Friday, October 27, 2017

My last appointment of the final day was with Okazaki Ken, the first year self-proclaimed genius and occult enthusiast. He was rather a _unique_ boy with his brightly dyed hair and excited manner of speaking, but my experience that week had reminded me that it was a bad idea to make assumptions. Even if he seemed a bit odd to me, I was sure he had his share of admirers. Or he could have simply had questions about the health fair materials, but didn't want to ask publicly.

Whatever the reason, the small boy bounced through the door right on schedule. "Hello, Dr. Matsuoka! Are you ready for me?"

"Yes, please come right in and take a seat."

"Hmm, of course, of course!" He hopped up onto the table, sitting cross-legged. "I hear you've been asking lots of questions, Doctor, but I'd like to start with one of my own, if I may!"

After my previous appointment, where I'd had to almost beg to get any information out of the sullen student, Okazaki's direct approach was almost refreshing. "Of course, Okazaki, this is a two-way discussion. I'm here to answer any questions you might have about your health. Are you concerned about something?"

"Yes, it's something I've been wondering for quite some time." He was leaning forward so far that I worried he might fall off the table.

I waited for him to continue, but it seemed that he wanted to be prompted. "Yes, what is it?"

His eyes were shining. "Does anal probing count as sex?"

For a moment, I just stared at him. "E- excuse me?" Somehow I managed to recover my composure after a stunned moment. "You mean by yourself, with toys?"

"Of course not!" he scoffed, sitting up and folding his arms over his chest. "I'm referring to the classic situation when one is abducted by aliens!"

I blinked. He couldn't mean... could he? "Has... has that happened to you?" If he truly believed that it had, Okazaki would probably need more than just a physical exam. I wasn't sure if I could handle the counseling such wild delusions would require.

"Not yet!"

"Not yet?" I was at a complete loss.

"Right! My scholarly activities are sure to attract attention - _outside_ attention, you understand - one of these days. I fully expect it to happen by the time I graduate from this school. And since I like being prepared for everything, I thought I would find out now if I'll need to have some sort of special exam or testing after it happens. Of course," he barreled on, oblivious to my attempts to interrupt, "I do intend to request testing of all sorts the moment I'm returned to Earth, but I want to know if a sexual health exam will also be required. Though I suppose that depends on exactly what the aliens do with me..."

"Okazaki, I don't think you have to worry about that--"

"Dr. Matsuoka, do I detect a hint of doubt in your tone?" He adjusted his glasses.

_It's far more than a_ hint _of doubt,_ I thought. "It's very unlikely--"

"Unlikely for normal people, yes, but for someone like me, who has devoted years to the study of space and its many citizens? I, who have built countless devices to track the movements of alien craft, and even some designed to reach out and contact those outsiders, will surely be noticed! I may be on a list as we speak, as a ship careens in from deep space, headed toward the Earth, following my signal. Ah, our tiny, insignificant planet, drawing the eye of an advanced race! And naturally such intelligent creatures will know how to find the exact being who reached out to contact them. I need to be prepared!"

Okazaki finally paused to take a breath, and I cut in before he could take another one. "Okazaki, I don't think you have anything to worry about. However, if something happens, I would advise you to see a doctor immediately."

He nodded. "Better safe than sorry, huh? That was my thought as well. I thought it would be good to get a professional opinion too, if somehow my intuition was wrong. But of course, it wasn't."

"Right," I muttered. "Anyway, rather than speculating on possible future events, shall we discuss your current state of health?"

"No need," he declared, waving his hand dismissively. "I'm not allowing myself to be distracted by things like that. With the alignments of several stars coming up in the next year, I'm devoting every spare moment to building new devices that can take advantage of the energies created by the celestial lineup. Oh, speaking of that, would you be interested in contributing to my project, Dr. Matsuoka? Of course, I'll be sure to credit you when my work is recognized."

I couldn't even begin to imagine just what sort of tasks he had in mind for someone like me. "I'm sorry, but I have my hands full with my work here. I'm sure your fellow association members would be willing to help out."

"Hmp, that's what you'd think, but any time there's real work involved, they're suddenly busy." He made a face, lowering his eyes. "And of course the teachers and staff are busy. Even Professor Sakaki, who always seemed so interested in my ideas! I thought for sure that since he doesn't have the work of assistant director anymore, he'd finally have time. But instead, I can barely talk to him these days. He's always tutoring Asahina or other _regular class_ students after school now." His nose wrinkled, as if regular classes were something shameful. "And he's never around on weekends. Ah, what a waste of a brilliant mind. Weekends are the perfect time for construction..."

Professor Sakaki was probably the last person on campus who would assist Okazaki with his crazy projects. He'd complained about the first year's pushy invitations and incessant chatter more than once, especially if I happened to catch him on the way back from the roof.

_You should see the scorch marks Okazaki's latest experiment left on the concrete. Dr. Matsuoka, I hope you have a well-stocked burn kit, because one day that kid is going to seriously hurt himself._

Which reminded me of something.

"Okazaki, are you using proper safety equipment when you build your devices and test them out? I've heard that there's been several small fires and other accidents recently. If other students or school property are being placed in danger, I'll have to speak to your staff sponsor. In fact, that may be a good idea anyway..."

Okazaki went pale. "Oh, well... I just remembered that I scheduled another appointment for this time slot! So sorry, Dr. Matsuoka! But since we have nothing else to discuss, I'll get going now. I want to be respectful of your time after all!" He jumped down from the table and was halfway across the office before I could say anything.

"Okazaki--"

"Many apologies for my mistake! But at least you get to have some free time now, right? Thanks again for your advice!"

The door slid open, then banged shut, signalling that it was safe for me to hold my head in my hands and heave a deep, exasperated sigh.

_Thank god this week is over. And I managed not to strangle anyone._

~~~

"I'm home," I groaned as I dragged myself through the front door of our apartment. Hiroya was at my side in an instant to take my coat.

"It looks like you survived the week from hell with no permanent damage," he teased. "Are you hungry, or did you already grab something to eat?"

"Keita brought me a sandwich about an hour before I left work, so I'm fine. I don't think I could stomach anything else right now, to be honest." I kicked off my shoes and stepped into the living room, flopping onto the couch with a dramatic sigh. "My brain hurts. I can't remember the last time I had to fill out so many lab orders in one day."

"Probably med school," Hiroya said, batting at my feet. I bent my knees and set my feet down close to my butt, leaving one open couch cushion. He settled down, patting my knee. "You can be comforted by the fact that now someone else gets to fill all those orders. Hell, I may be the one who gets volunteered for that fun project."

I pulled off my glasses and rubbed at my eyes. "Even so, you probably won't have to do it all by yourself. You research guys have me way outnumbered."

"You should feel special, being the only doctor for those students." He was still teasing, probably without any idea of how close I was to losing my mind.

"And the school staff doctor, and the research staff doctor, and I'm also responsible for any visitors who set foot on the island. Meanwhile, you're all holed up in your ivory tower, doing your research without any interruptions or any worries about funding." I tried not to sound bitter, but it was hard after the grueling week I'd had.

"It's not all puppies and kittens, Jin. With the current board trying to stick their nose into Suzubishi's business, it makes things pretty tense at times."

"I know, I know," I grumbled, rubbing my forehead with the back of one hand. "Hopefully things will be a little better once Kasahara has an assistant again."

"You look like you could use some assistance," he murmured, hand slipping from my knee and down my leg, but I shook him off and shot him a warning look.

"Hiroya, please, I'm not in the mood. All the nonsense this week has just about killed my sex drive for the foreseeable future." I closed my eyes so I wouldn't have to see his disappointed, almost puppy-eyed expression. "I just... there's so many clueless boys at that school. Why don't they teach that sort of stuff earlier, or would it kill parents to talk to their kids? I'm sure I complained about this already, but I actually had one boy ask me if blowjobs counted as sex."

"I sure hope they do," Hiroya mused, "or we might see an outbreak of public blowjobs in the near future. They'll say it's just another type of PDA or something."

I kicked the side of his leg. "You're impossible."

"Not as impossible as the students at Bell Liberty."

"Very, very true. At least a quarter of my appointments were boys who sat in my office for a while just so their friends wouldn't think they were virgins. Who does that? But I guess it's better than idiots having sex just to say they had sex." I stared up at the ceiling, shaking my head. "And then the opposite problem, kids totally exaggerating their experience, telling me ridiculous numbers of sex partners or describing acts that are obviously fake to anyone who's ever actually had sex."

Hiroya turned toward me, finally serious. "Hey, just breathe. The workload is normally light, so this won't happen again for a long time. And besides," he peered at me over my knees, "you did something good for those kids. Most of them probably never had any sort of guidance or advice about sex and relationships before. The student council picked a good topic this year."

_Student council._ My temporarily forgotten worry floated back to the front of my mind. "Speaking of the student council, I'm still worried about that boy."

"Asahina? You said he was happy, though. Why are you so fixated on him?"

"I don't know. There's just... something about the situation that's nagging at me. I feel like I'm missing something, or rather, there's information that I'm just not understanding." I bit my lip, thinking. "I really thought it was one of his friends in the student council, or maybe Durak, but none of their stories match up with his."

"I guess you could try a process of elimination, but didn't you say he's going outside the school? It's probably someone you've never even met."

"That's true. But he's not the only student who leaves every weekend either." I ticked off my observations on my fingers. "Someone older, and more experienced, who didn't use protection. I bet he didn't mention it because he knew Asahina was a virgin. No risk for the boyfriend. And if it's someone experienced, maybe they've already been tested and know they're clean? But Asahina said no sex until he got tested, so I don't know. I just hope it's okay."

"You said he's lucky like Keita, right? Then there's probably no need to worry."

"Luck is one thing, but not getting infected is a bit like magic."

Hiroya rubbed his chin. "Well, you don't know that the boyfriend has issues."

"But I don't know that he doesn't, either. If I'm lucky, it's someone within the school, and I saw them this week. If not, I hope Asahina was successful in convincing his lover to get tested."

"Hey," Hiroya leaned closer, "what if it's not another student? The health fair was open to teachers and other staff members too."

That time, I really did kick him hard, eliciting a grunt of pain. "Don't even go there."

He held up his hands and gave me an apologetic, sheepish grin. "I was just kidding."

"That's a terrible joke," I sighed. "You forget, that sort of thing has happened a few times in the past. Dealing with those messes is never fun. All the bad attempts to cover it up, and when that doesn't work, boys in tears, desperately defending their abusers... ugh."

Hiroya's shoulders slumped. "Sorry, Jin. I know that was in bad taste. I just..." He turned his body away slightly, staring off into the distance. "You've been really tense all week. I was trying to shock you out of it, or something."

His words were simple, but the defeated note in his tone caught my attention. He'd been waiting for me to get home, just as he had been all week, doing his best to relieve my tension. All week, I'd been distant and grumpy, as if the stress of my work was somehow his fault. I pulled myself into a sitting position, stretching out one hand to touch his chin, turning his face back toward me. "Hey. You've been a bit lonely all week, haven't you?"

His eyes met mine, then looked away. "I guess it's pretty obvious." A sad little smile came to his lips. "One week and I'm desperate for attention. I can't imagine what it was like for you."

My brow creased, and I leaned in to embrace him before my emotions crumbled any further. "Don't... I can't think about that, not now. You're here now, and that's all that matters."

Warm hands slipped into my hair, fingers catching in the length. Hiroya's cheek was against my neck, and he nuzzled against the bottom of my ear, inhaling softly. "I still love your hair, Jin. It smells like home."

" _Home is where the hair is,_ " I murmured in English. "I guess that works."

It was Hiroya's turn to hit me, thumping my back with his fist before breaking away from our embrace with a comical pout. "Way to ruin the mood."

I couldn't suppress a laugh. "Sorry. But you wanted me to cheer up, didn't you?"

"Not by making stupid jokes."

"Too bad, because all my jokes are stupid." I grabbed his hand and stood, tugging. "I'm feeling a bit renewed by that. How about we play a little game? This time, you can be the doctor."

"I _am_ a doctor," Hiroya muttered, but he was grinning as I dragged him off to our bedroom.

~ end ~


End file.
